Few U.S. dentists Routinely Screen Teens for Substance Use, National Study Finds
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A first-of-its-kind national study reveals that despite high rates of substance use among adolescents, a strikingly small number of U.S. dentists are routinely screening teenage patients for alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drug use. Teh research, published this week, highlights a significant gap in preventative care and potential missed opportunities for early intervention.
The study found that 48.5 percent of teens screened positive for alcohol use, 52.7 percent for cannabis, and 55.4 percent for illicit drugs. However, referral rates to specialty care following a positive screen were described as low, indicating a critical need to improve follow-up procedures and support for both dentists and patients. This finding arrives as national surveys demonstrate ongoing substance use among youth, though rates have shifted in recent years.
The latest Monitoring the Future survey data shows that in 2023, illicit drug use among adolescents remained below pre-pandemic levels. Specifically, 10.9 percent of eighth graders, 19.8 percent of tenth graders, and 31.2 percent of twelfth graders reported using any illicit drugs in the past year. Reported use of most substances fell sharply after 2020 with COVID-19-era disruptions, then held relatively steady through 2022 and into 2023.
In Canada, student substance use has remained largely steady from 2021-22 to 2023-24, according to Health Canada’s Canadian Student Tobacco, alcohol and Drugs Survey.Alcohol remains the most commonly used substance among students in Grades 7-12, with 22 percent reporting use in the past 30 days, followed by vapes (15 percent) and cannabis (12 percent).Use increases with age, peaking among Grade 12 students, and varies by gender and geography, with gender-diverse students and those in rural areas reporting higher rates of certain substance use.
The study also echoes findings regarding adolescent perceptions of risk and access to substances. Alcohol (69 percent) and cannabis (49 percent) are viewed as the easiest to obtain, most often through friends and family. Awareness of health risks differs by grade, with younger students more likely to underestimate harms and older students, particularly twelfth graders, often perceiving little or no risk from cannabis use.
When seeking details about the risks of drugs and alcohol, students most often turn to official websites (26 percent), school classes (21 percent), and healthcare professionals (14 percent). the new study suggests dentists could play a larger role in that information dissemination and early intervention process.
